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Text Luna and Scrivener spent the day resting in Ponyville, most of which was spent hiding in the hot tubs together in the spa, resting their aching bodies. Scrivener had soaped Luna down heavily to get the holy oil off of her, remarking on the fact that it didn't surprise him all that much blessed oil apparently burned her... and Luna had replied to this by dunking him under the water and then grouchily making him wash her mane. Eventually, Zecora had found them, concerned for them and what had happened, and Luna had tried to splash her a few times before grumpily telling the story and complaining that she was interrupting their relaxation. Zecora had sighed at this, then left... and when she'd returned with a tray of cookies, Luna had become far more agreeable, cheerfully sitting back and munching away even as Scrivener Blooms glared at her as she dripped crumbs everywhere. After a few more questions, Zecora left them alone, satisfied that they were alright and her curiosities sated. It was a gesture Scrivener knew that even Luna appreciated, even if the winged unicorn didn't show it and was still somewhat grouchy over the zebra's shadow-trick. After a few more hours of lounging around and using the various spa facilities, Luna had finally decided it was time to go, and they had cleaned up, cleaned off, and made their way outside. The Nibelung were setting up a funeral stage in the village square, and Luna and Scrivener had sat quietly, watching respectfully as the sun had slowly set, and other forces that helped govern the passage of the day rose the moon. Odin was there as well, sitting beside the library now, nodding every now and then as Illyria spoke with him. Greece, meanwhile, was with the other Nibelung as they began to lay their dead out over the extended stage as they packed straw beneath it and spilled oil over it, and Luna murmured softly: "I have never seen a dwarf funeral before. I always assumed the Nibelung just left their dead where they laid. 'Tis strange... to see them with culture and etiquette all their own. It lessens them in my mind as beasts. I think that the next time I find myself embattled with their kind... I will be more hesitant to kill them." Scrivener smiled a bit, nodding slowly as Luna dropped her head on his shoulder, and he rested his own skull against hers, closing his eyes as her mane swept gently to the side, half-encircling him as a front hoof of each slid towards one-another's, then quietly locked together. They both watched quietly as the Nibelung gave little ceremony, but there was ceremony all the same: the dwarves shouted their hopes more than prayed to any god or divine presence as they all raised pitchers of ale and alcohol, then drank deeply as one Nibelung tossed a torch onto the pyre and it burst into flames. It seemed strangely like a celebration more than it did a funeral, even as Pales flickered into being here and there, to watch quietly as the corpses were burned... and when Luna glanced to the side, she was unsurprised to see both Celestia and Twilight sitting beside her, Scrivener looking up himself as the two Pales regarded them softly. They both smiled faintly, and then Luna looked ahead towards the flames as she said quietly: "Aye, sister. Finally, the Black Wolves have been destroyed. Whatever they were, they will never plague us again... but I worry. It seemed like they were things that were made, and things made once can be made anew... and perhaps made better. For whatever else, they were weaker in this world, perhaps because it had been infused with Helheim's corruption, perhaps because it is a different layer, perhaps because instead of passing through that energy-soaked place-between-places upon the Bifrost... they must have swam, or bitten, or ripped their way through, shattering the bridge in the process. And they must have been waiting on the other side for who knows how long... or perhaps 'twas only some immense stroke of misfortune, the gates opening right as the awful creatures began to pass. "All I know is that I do not savor this victory as I thought I would. Aye, I am proud, and I am glad that I have defeated these monsters... oh, fine, Scrivener Blooms, we defeated them, with a little aid from Odin." Luna smiled a bit, glancing quietly towards him, and the earth pony laughed despite himself before the living ponies looked towards the Pales of Celestia and Twilight as they both looked at them with tenderness radiating from their spectral shapes. "And I know that their death removes many obstacles from the path. Their death symbolizes new hopes... but I wonder, again, what made these creatures, and whereupon they first came hence. 'Tis a mystery better left unsolved, I fear, however... I would rather their creator never find our Looking Glass Equestria, and I never have to gaze upon the sallow facade that would engineer such calamity." Celestia nodded slowly, and Twilight smiled encouragingly as Luna looked over the two... then Scrivener Blooms added softly: "And it's not as if... we don't feel a sense of accomplishment or anything. It's not as if... you know. But I think to be honest, Luna's feeding off my emotions a lot. Luna's feeling my concerns, because... Valthrudnir saved me, guided me through taking down Skoll. And I'm pretty sure I don't have to explain to two ponies like yourselves why that's worrisome." Celestia nodded again, looking unsurprised as Twilight reared back silently, the two flickering quietly in Scrivy's vision, becoming almost real as he winced a bit before they were once more only Pales in his eyes... and then Celestia quietly reached up and gently touched Luna's shoulder before she looked towards where Odin was seated, then back to her little sister, and the sapphire winged unicorn smiled faintly. "Oh, as if thou truly has to ask, Celestia, thou knows I was bad enough for keeping secrets from thee. Nay, we have not told Odin... but this of course is not to say he does not suspect something. He knows that Scrivener Blooms... something lurks in the recesses of his mind. I do not believe he knows it is an echo of Valthrudnir, however, for I suspect he would not be nearly so calm upon the subject." The two Pales both nodded and glanced towards Odin, then Twilight looked at Celestia as the shade of the enormous equine looked silently up at the radiant moon high above. Luna glanced up after her, and then she laughed a little, adding softly: "Look, Celestia, the silly fools have again placed the moon upon the wrong side of the sky... I should fix it, but I do not feel like being responsible. I have already killed two apocalypse-bringing beasts of Hell, after all. I believe that means I have been responsible enough for one day as it is, does it not? I would far rather just sit back and not mind the details for now." Celestia shook her head a bit at this, but the ghost seemed to be smiling all the same as Twilight gazed up towards the ivory orb overhead in silence for a few moments... then, finally, Celestia looked down at Luna, the sisters gazing quietly at one-another before the winged unicorn gave the smallest of nods. Then she flickered out of existence, and Twilight smiled faintly at them, stepping forwards and embracing Luna gently around the neck, and Luna laughed a bit as she bowed her head towards her and whispered: "I wish I was worthy of this kindness, Twilight Sparkle. Worthy of thee." Twilight, however, only laughed silently, shaking her head slowly as she drew her eyes over Luna before slipping past her to embrace Scrivener quietly. He reached up, resting his hooves against the Pale's shoulders, and the ghost of the winged unicorn pulled back and studied him silently as he gazed over her, her form flickering between translucent and solid in his vision before she patted his cheek gently with one hoof and then faded slowly from sight, and the earth pony shook his head slowly as Luna gazed at him quietly before he murmured: "Sometimes I feel like I've failed you both, you know. You and Twilight Sparkle are very different in some ways... but in plenty, I think I see how you're the same, too. Makes me wonder what you must have been like when you were actually young." Luna reached up and punched his shoulder gently, saying kindly: "I know not whether thou art attempting to call me a narcissist, compliment me, or merely frustrate me anew with the knowledge that for all the arguing that went on between thou and her, the two of thee were always such good friends." "Yes, Luna, but you're the one who brought us all together, don't forget. Without you in my life, I'd have... well." Scrivener rested back moodily, rubbing at his cheek thoughtfully before he grimaced a bit as he realized he'd lost his glasses again. Luna only gave him an amused look at this thought, and he mumbled: "Well it happens so often now it's hard to keep track of anymore. But I was just thinking that without you, I'd probably be dead... or even worse, alive, now older and grouchier, still working in the Royal Courts assuming I didn't get myself thrown out or killed at some point." "Aye, and the chances of the last are higher than most would have given thee credit for." Luna remarked pointedly, and Scrivener shrugged agreeably before the winged unicorn closed her eyes and dropped her head against his shoulder, the stallion looking towards the still-burning pyre surrounded by the crowd of singing dwarves, and Scrivener smiled a bit as she murmured quietly: "But I am glad for the way things worked out, all the same. Aye, I can be greedy, and we both are not without flaw, and sometimes it seems that the path not taken may be brighter... but all the same... I know in my heart, my soul... all that matters is that we are together." Scrivener nodded slowly, closing his eyes as he bowed his head forwards and slipped his foreleg around her, pulling her a little closer, and Luna smiled a bit as she slipped herself tighter against his side as the two watched the Nibelung honor their dead in a world that awaited the rebirth of the living. 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